1) Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to accessories that prevent cargo shifting in transport vehicles, specifically an improved structure extendible tip shoring bar in which a safety catch and an L-shaped linkage are disposed in a base such that it is only necessary to toggle the safety catch and thus synchronously actuate the L-shaped linkage to enable the movement of an inner rod inside an outer rod, thereby achieving full release and collapse in a convenient and efficient operation.
2) Description of the Prior Art
In delivery vehicles, regardless of cargo capacity, now utilized by the freight forwarding industry, goods are packaged in cartons to facilitate loading and stacking. Since packaging in cartons protects contained articles from damage en route, most delivery persons normally place the cartons as close together as possible because tight stacks are less likely to sway and slip as a result of road conditions, and thus shipments to designated destinations only proceed after the entire cargo hold is fully loaded. However, as goods are delivered, more and more cargo space becomes vacant and the remaining cartons start sliding towards the vehicle loading gate due to road conditions. If driving over a poorly surfaced road, sudden braking for a red light, sudden acceleration at a green light, and other situations occur at this time, cartons may fall out of the cargo holdxe2x80x94destroying the contents and tearing the cartons, and sustain other damage from being strewn on the ground. While there is of course the possibility that cartons are fortunately not damaged, such occurrences usually result in the shipper becoming liable for monetary compensation demanded by the contracting customer, which in the shipping industry is deeply troublesome.
As a result, a structure (as shown in FIG. 1) has been devised to protect cartons under such situations, which, as indicated in FIG. 2-A, is comprised of an outer rod B which after being connected to a base A enables the extension and retraction of an inner rod C inserted inside both the outer rod B and base A. The base A and outer rod B are conjoined into a single unitary entity having a levering handle A1, a first trigger A2, and a second trigger A3 exposed on the assembly, wherein an anterior pawl A4 and a posterior pawl A5 respectively pivot on two shafts A11 and A12 disposed at two locations at the front extremity of the levering handle A1, of which the posterior pawl A5 and the levering handle A1 are rotatably coupled to the base A, while the anterior pawl A4 and posterior pawl A5 contact unidirectionally inclined teeth C1 arrayed along the surface of the inner rod C. Furthermore, a pin A41 and A51 respectively projects from the front aspect of the anterior pawl A4 and posterior pawl A5, with each subjected to tension from the two respective extremities of an encompassing arcuate spring A6. The lower end of the first trigger A2 rests against the spring A6 such that after the protruding sections A21 proceeding laterally from the bottom two sides of the first trigger A2 are inserted into the opening Axe2x80x2 of the base A, they slide into the base A adjustment holes Axe2x80x3, while the second trigger A3 is hinged to the levering handle A1 and preloaded by a torque spring A13. When the first trigger A2 is pressed against the spring A6 and the Lxe2x80x94second trigger A3 remains stationary, both the anterior pawl A4 and the posterior pawl A5 engage the unidirectionally inclined teeth C1 on the surface of the inner rod C. Since the pivot point of the posterior pawl A5 with the levering handle A1 is the shaft A12 of the base A and the anterior pawl A4 pivots with the levering handle A1 and, furthermore, the anterior pawl A5 is against the unidirectionally inclined teeth C1 on the surface of the inner rod C, when the levering handle A1 is pulled up, the anterior pawl A4 shaft A11 is brought forward such that the anterior pawl A4 enables the inner rod C to move outward and the displacement of the posterior pawl A5 to the next tooth, as indicated in FIG. 2-B. When the levering handle A1 is pressed down, the posterior pawl A5 remains stationary and the anterior pawl A4 shaft A11 returns to the rear extent of the posterior pawl A5 such that the anterior pawl A4 moves back towards the posterior pawl A5, as shown in FIG. 2-C and thus, operating the levering handle A1 as such for a certain number of repetitions causes the outward extension of the inner rod C until the both lateral tips of the inner rod C and the outer rod B are positively situated against the two walls D1 of the cargo hold D, as indicated in FIG. 1, providing stable support to thereby prevent the falling of each layer of cartons E.
Conversely, when the inner rod C and the outer rod B are released, the first trigger A2 is pushed outward, causing the spring A6 to resiliently elevate and impel the anterior pawl A4 upward, as indicated in FIG. 2-D. The second trigger A3 is then pushed down until the spring A6 is articulated upward such that the spring A6 lifts the posterior pawl A5, as indicated in FIG. 2-E. As such, when both the anterior pawl A4 and the posterior pawl A5 are disengaged from the unidirectionally inclined teeth C1 on the surface of the inner rod C, the inner rod C can be retracted inside the outer rod B to achieve release. However, during the release operation, the user must use one hand to hold the base A and the other hand to work the first trigger A2 and the second trigger A3, a procedure that is not entirely convenient.
Since the structural design of the prior art is not very ideal, the applicant conducted extensive research based on years of experience gained while engaged in the relevant fields which culminated in the successful development of the invention herein, now submitted as a patent application.
The primary objective of the invention herein is to provide an improved structure extendible tip shoring bar comprised of an outer rod which after being connected to a base enables the extension and retraction of an inner rod inserted inside both the said outer rod and base, with a safety catch consisting of an actuated L-shaped linkage disposed in the base such when the said safety catch is pressed, the L-shaped linkage pushes a spring in the base, thereby raising an anterior pawl and a posterior pawl at the two extremities of the spring and enabling the retraction of the inner rod inside the outer rod to achieve full release and collapse in a more convenient and practical operation.
To enable a further understanding of the structural features, operation, and other items of the present invention for purposes of review and reference, the brief description of the drawings below is followed by the detailed description of the invention herein.